Kaylynn Conant
"I gained a new sense of independence, and saw what it was like to fully apply my educational experience to the real world. As a biology major, I am not always able to first-handedly see what I learn in the classroom being applied to my reality."
I really wanted to go to a country that spoke English and had courses that fulfilled major requirements and this program ended up being a perfect fit. My favorite aspect of this program was all of the field trips! In 12 weeks, you get the opportunity to take five amazing trips all over the eastern side of Australia and see and study some of the most beautiful places and creatures Australia has to offer. I liked the idea of being in a small cohort as opposed to the large lecture sizes at UC Berkeley and really being able to make strong connections with the professors through the class time and the trips.
Since Australia is a westernized country, with somewhat similar history as the US, there was not a lot of culture shock. I think the neatest part was learning the different colloquial phrases (they shorten EVERYTHING) and getting used to everything being a little backwards. The friendliness of all the residents really stood out. Even in the larger cities (Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne, Cairns) everyone was very friendly and happy to help out a lost tourist.
The biggest challenge was being away from all of my friends and family and the communication gap that resulted from the large time difference. I was able to remedy this homesickness through communicating with my loved ones when I could while also making a new home and community in Australia. When you are snorkeling constantly or hiking for hours it is really easy to get lost in the beauty and remember the wonderful time you are having in this trip of a lifetime.
When in Brisbane, a typical day consisted waking up, eating breakfast, and making your lunch. Then you would commute from your homestay to the university for a full day of lectures. At the end of the day you would either stay on campus or go home to study or do something fun in the city. During the field trips, you would either be on a full-packed schedule in the national parks on the ecological terrestrial field trips or working on research projects and enjoying the coastal environment on the marine biology field trips.
I took two courses that both included a field lab component (alongside a two week Australian Studies course): Marine Biology and Terrestrial Ecology. The experience was very different because almost everything you learn in the class room ends up being applied at the field trips. The work load is not as difficult as Berkeley courses, but you still need to stay caught up with your courses to succeed.
The last trip was to Heron Island which is this small island in the Great Barrier Reef that takes about 20 minutes to walk around. It consists of a research station and a resort and is your picture perfect island with light blue and turquoise waters and white sand. You worked on your research project with your group for a portion of the time, but for a majority of it you will be spending time with your friends and enjoying what the island has to offer. One day I went snorkeling four times in one day and each time I saw sea turtles, rays, and/or sharks alongside the beautiful coral and fish. It was an absolutely surreal experience.
This was the longest I had ever been away from home which made it a great growing experience alongside the new educational experience. I gained a new sense of independence, and saw what it was like to fully apply my educational experience to the real world. As a biology major, I am not always able to first-handedly see what I learn in the classroom being applied to my reality.
DO IT! Studying abroad was definitely an experience I would not trade from anything during my undergraduate career, and if this program happens to work out for you I 100% recommend.